


Weightless

by Absolutefandomtrash



Series: My Hattercrow Trash Brain Came Up With These [3]
Category: Batman - All Media Types, Gotham (TV)
Genre: Codependency, Everything is consensual, General Creepiness, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Use, Jonathan is immune to hypnosis, Kissing, M/M, Neck Kissing, Recreational Drug Use, Sensory Deprivation, Sensuality, all of this is weird, and by recreational I mean sedatives, attempted hypnosis, but it's a weird messed up story about weird messed up people, in a really weird way, in a weird messed up way, jonathan is a good boyfriend, let's get that out of the way, pretending to be hypnotized, so that's just a given, they both are
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-08
Updated: 2019-04-08
Packaged: 2020-01-05 10:44:24
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,173
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18364421
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Absolutefandomtrash/pseuds/Absolutefandomtrash
Summary: Somehow the Mad Hatter's tricks don't fool the scarecrow known as Jonathan Crane despite all of his efforts. Eventually Jonathan steps in and suggests something that completely slipped his mind. Sequel to "Smoke and Stained Glass"





	Weightless

**Author's Note:**

> I'm going to be completely honest and say that I got this idea and decided that it would be a great excuse to be self-indulgent with a ship I like.
> 
> I honestly never pictured the Gotham versions of these two as having a physical relationship to the extent that their emotional relationship could go. Non-Gotham content? Totally can see it. On Gotham? Not really. Part of that is just me extrapolating from the limited content that I've actually seen of any Batman-related thing ever, and part of that is just because I think that these two's needs and wants and attraction to each other stems from a more personality and emotions place rather than physical. Do I think they find each other attractive? Yes. Do I think that's what drew them into each other? No. Just thought I'd be up front about it since this is a sequel and has more of them interacting as a couple.
> 
> Oh and I've never seen the show apart from clips so yeah anything OOC show-wise is unintentional and done with absolutely nothing related to caring about it. If you don't like that, press the button that will go to the previous page. I won't judge you; I've done that with fics in the past and will probably do it in the future. It happens.

He normally will give people the chance to fight, to break free from the spells he casts. It's only fair that they have the opportunity to free themselves and to fight, although those that do rarely survive the encounter. Either with words or with hands, Jervis Tetch ensures that his victims will not let any secrets get out. Loose lips sink ships, after all; he must toss the passengers overboard before they have the chance to sink his.

Water drowns.

Not all volumes of water drown, of course, but the general volumes encountered in life will. A glass, a bath, a fountain, all will drown if applied correctly. No ocean needed. Although, large amounts are better insurance that the deed will be done and the victim will indeed be overwhelmed until they have no choice but to fill their lungs.

Jim Gordon had a life vest to help him against the waves until he could keep himself afloat.

After that, he stopped giving the chance to escape.

He didn't think of himself as susceptible to anything like he put his victims through. He was the provider, the guide; he knew too much to be caught off-guard even by the appearance of glasses. No, he will not drown no matter if he is presenting himself as Jervis Tetch or the Hatter.

Smoke envelops.

All forms envelop.

No matter how much is released, no matter the surroundings, smoke will envelop everything in its path until it either diffuses into nothing or is released into the open air and overwhelmed in and of itself. Everything in its path will be surrounded and enveloped until one of them passes through. And if you get lost, too bad.

The smoke that is Jonathan Crane envelops him, just a little. He is too full of turbulent water to truly be enveloped, but what space is available becomes the new home for his smoke. Smoke over the water, oil over water, both touching but never mingled, both have a presence but always separate. He knows that some of his ocean has spilled out into Jonathan's being, weighed him down, but there is no change in how he presents himself; the untouchable Scarecrow when the costume is on, the quietly closed-off Jonathan when light burlap replaces the heavy leather. Only the faint mist trailing behind his words betrays anything. He is unchanged, while Jervis is left with opposing forces attempting to separate but unable to do anything but merge. And oh, how infuriating it is to not be the one in control. Of his emotions, of his heart, of how others react to him; all of that needs to be on his terms, no surprises, everything happens as it should. Yet the smoke evades his iron grip and takes on a life of his own. Not that the other man is chaotic; he is quite the opposite. He controls his actions and surroundings as much as Jervis and never betrays anything that remotely suggests the contrary. Yet both of their control manifests in different forms, comes from different places. Closely parallel but not touching. Yet another batch of oil attempting to mix with water.

Jonathan knows their natures, understands this difference, sees the dissonance in the other man where harmony rests in him, and attempts to bridge it when the Hatter had resigned himself to be torn in two. He willingly offers himself to the ocean, throws away anything to help him float, trusts that for once in a long time, Jervis will allow an escape route from the snare set out for him.

In the end, it isn't needed.

The smoke inside Jonathan envelops the water Jervis pours into him and passes through until it is the water that moves away and the smoke remains. No matter the amount or the mental state of the straw man, none of it works. Glass, fountain, bath, ocean, awake, asleep, sober, inebriated, all produce the same result and all are equally useless. And one of the men raves and rants with curses and swears that would make sailors blush while the other one detaches from the situation each time and watches the madman in the same way a stone idol watches those who approach it.

After one such fruitless session, the idol speaks.

"You know, I don't need to be hypnotized for us to do this."

"Forgive me, but I have some doubt as to how that would work out." A soft sigh before the idol moves, just enough to stand and stretch idly.

"You don't really want to hypnotize me, do you? At least, that's not the only reason."

Silence. The answer hung in the air regardless.

"I can pretend to be under your spell. Do everything your victims normally do. And you can get whatever it is that you want." This time it's Jervis who moves towards the idol.

"Why? What have you to gain?"

The idol moves in a way that is not parallel or perpendicular or oblique. Directly towards him.

They meet in the middle. Jonathan holds out his hand.

"You told me that you saw me as full of smoke. And how you sometimes know when the coals creating it burn too hot and create true fire. Correct?"

"Yes."

"Feel the coals."

As soon as two of his fingers touch the offered pulse point, a gasp is breathed out of Jervis. He was right about the smoke having a source, but he completely missed the mark on what said source was. Instead of there being coals, fire burns under the skin so hot he feels it through his gloves and almost removes his hand lest it actually burns. But he keeps his hand on. Then adds more fingers to hold it. Then tentatively pulls Jonathan closer until they share the same breaths so he can know just how hot the fire burns and just how much he missed what created the smoke in the first place. Jonathan's other hand rests on the back of his neck; Jervis' at the base, barely caressing the rough burlap that just might be a real face. He doesn't know anymore. He only knows that with fire this hot, any water used would be evaporated almost instantly.

"Do you understand now?" Hot breath from hot lungs from a burning body. Jervis nods.

"What do you want from me."

A victorious glint in the other man's eyes. No, not victorious.

Predatory.

Domineering.

Imposing.

The voice that accompanies those eyes sounds unlike Jonathan or his Scarecrow. Maybe it came from both; maybe it cam from neither.

Wherever it came from, it was the same as the eyes.

"Smother the fire. Make there only smoke. Tear me apart if you have to- and I think you want to very much- but as long as it's gone, do it."

"You're willing to be torn apart just to stop a fire?" The eyes somehow stay in place as the head they rest in nods.

"Yes."

And the eyes ask him, 'Are you willing to tear to free me?'

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you indulging what my weird mind produces. It means a lot!


End file.
